Love And Basketball
by BballAndBooks
Summary: Percy Jackson is the star player for Goode High School's varsity team. Annabeth Chase is the star player for Johnson High School's varisty team; a.k.a. Goode's biggest rivals. What happens when they meet at a basketball camp and are put on the same team for the whole summer? AU. Percabeth. Slightly OOC.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hiya. So, I've been reading a LOT of AU Percabeth lately, and many of the stories I read are pretty good. They were so good, in fact, that they made me want to write one. And here it is! Completely AU and completely Percabeth! Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, to the readers of my other one-shot "I'm Taking A Cold Shower", I'm sorry I deleted. It's just that once I reread it, I realized it didn't turn out how I wanted it to at all. But, if I have the time to, I'm pretty sure I'll rewrite it and upload it. Anyways, review and enjoy!

Percy's POV

"Alright mom….Yes, I'm going to call you. No, I won't do anything stupid. Okay, alright, I got it. Moooooom…Fine…I love you, too. Okay, bye."

I sighed as I ended the call and pocketed my phone. I loved my mom, but she could be such a _mom _sometimes. Anyways, I paid the cab driver his money, and stepped out of the cab, followed by my best friend's Nico and Grover, who were snickering at something, probably my phone call. I decided to ignore them though, since I was at my favorite place in the whole world. Basketball Camp. For the _entire _summer. Two months of playing my favorite sport. Not even my idiot friends could ruin that. Speaking of idiot friends, I should probably give you a little background info.

Nico, Grover, and I all played on Goode High's Varsity team. We were all 17 and seniors, but we'd been told that we played like pros. Grover was our team's starting point guard, and he was the shortest of us all at 6'. But don't let his height fool you. He could dribble and distribute the ball like nobody's business. He had brown eyes and brown hair.

Nico was the tallest of us all at 6'9", and he played center and sometimes power forward. He was one of the tallest centers in the state, and he played like it, too. He had dark brown eyes and black hair.

Now, I was 6'5", and I played small forward on our team. I don't know what I should about my skills, but college recruiters often told me that I could shoot and pass better than some of their players. I'm pretty sure that's a good thing. Anyways, I have black hair and green eyes.

So, now that that's out of the way, I can continue. As we walked up the hill to camp, we were greeted by Clarisse arguing with Luke, which wasn't anything new. Luke was our team's starting power forward, but he could do a little of everything; shoot, dribble, pass. He was good, and he knew it. And it didn't help his already large, inflated ego that all the girls at school thought he was the hottest thing since Taylor Lautner. He was about 6'7" and a half, and he had sandy blond hair and blue eyes.

Before I describe Clarisse, I should probably mention that we have co-ed teams in New York, due to a law that was recently passed. That was the only reason Clarisse was allowed to be on the team. Well, that and the fact that she played like a boy, which was a good thing. She was the starting shooting guard, she was 6'3", and she was _really_ good. She had stringy brown hair and brownish eyes. Oh, and she hated Luke with a passion.

As we walked up to the two, they stopped arguing and Luke smiled at us. "What's up guys?" he greeted as he gave me a man-hug. I forced a smile on my face and greeted him back. It's not that I didn't like Luke; it's that I didn't like his ego and reputation. In all honesty, he had a really big head.

After we shared our hello's and stuff, we explored the camp. We walked past a track, a weight training room, two indoor gyms, and lastly three outdoor gyms. In the distance, we could see the cabins. On the last of the outdoor gyms, we saw five people playing around. I was already heading to the cabins, but Luke had stopped and was staring at something. And I, being the loyal teammate I am, turned back around and headed towards him. I could see why he was staring now. There were 3 girls and 2 boys over there. And they were _good._

The first person I noticed was a boy around 5'11" that had curly black hair and brown eyes. He appeared to be the point guard of the team. Next, I noticed the other boy. He was tall, about 6'9", and he was fit. He had blond hair and bright blue eyes, and he was obviously the team's center.

Then I saw the girl that Luke was staring at. She was about 6'6", and she had choppy, dark black hair and startling blue eyes. She looked to be the power forward on the team, and she definitely had skills. She was pretty, I guess, but she wasn't exactly the type that Luke would go for. I guess people change.

The second girl I saw was about 6'4" and had choppy brown hair and kaleidoscope eyes. By the way she was playing, I could tell she was a small forward. And the way she shared not-so-secret smiles with the super tall blond boy told me that they were in some kind of a relationship.

The last girl was probably the most talented on the team, and the prettiest. She was about 6'2", and she had curly, shoulder-length blond hair. Judging by her hair and tan, I expected her eyes to be blue, but they were gray. Now, I was pretty sure I'd never seen anyone with gray eyes before, but she looked familiar. In fact, all of them did. But, I just shrugged the feeling off and pulled Luke away from them and toward the cabins. He had this dopey smile on his face, and I couldn't help but laugh at him. Eventually, he and the others began laughing too, and I smiled to myself as we reached our cabins and began to unpack. This was going to be an interesting summer.

_An hour passes…_

After we finished unpacking and fighting over the beds, (Nico and I had one bunk bed and Grover and Luke had the other.) we met Clarisse out side and all of us headed to the main hall. We were supposed to be getting our team assignments there. The teams we got would be the teams we were stuck with for the rest of the summer. I could only hope my team would be good.

Once we reached the main hall, a counselor that looked our age with a nametag reading "Juniper" greeted us. "Hello players. Welcome to Camp Hoops, where all you will do is play ball all summer long. Before you get started, though, I need to give you your team assignments. Listen for your names." I braced myself. "Team 1 will be: Grover Underwood, Clarisse Ares, Piper McLean, Thalia Grace, and Nico diAngelo. Team 2 is: Leo Valdez, Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan, and Jason Grace." I'm pretty sure she said some more names, but I'd zoned out by then. Once she said Annabeth's name, I remembered why she seemed so familiar. She was Annabeth Chase; the star player for Goode High School's biggest rivals. The Johnson High Eagles. And she was on my team. Oh, God.

A/N: I had planned to end this chapter when they were at the cabins, but my gut told me to make it longer. Also, this is going to be a fairly short story. It'll be between 10-15 chapters, and between basketball and homework, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. But, I will try my very best. And this story will have minor Thalico, Jasper, and Groviper. Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hiya. I actually wasn't expecting to be able to update this fast, but I forgot that we're out of school because it's President's Day. So here is chapter 2! Enjoy and review!

Annabeth's POV

I sighed as I heard my name be called with Percy's and Luke's. We had beaten them last year in the state championship, and according to the rumors (if they were true), they still held a grudge. I could see why, but I wasn't about to let a grudge keep us from winning at camp. I'd need to clear that up at our first practice tomorrow. But for now, I needed food and sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

_After dinner, in her cabin with Thalia, Piper, and Clarisse…_

I laughed as Clarisse told us a story about her and Percy and Grover working together to prank Luke. It turned out that Percy and Grover were the only people on the team that she didn't have a problem with. It also turned out that she had been assigned to share a cabin with Piper, Thalia, and I, which was pretty cool. And she didn't hold a grudge against our team, which was even better. She actually blamed their loss on Luke, claiming, "We were down by 1 and he had Nico wide open in the post. But, what does he do? He shoots, the three, and misses." I could see where she was coming from. I know I'd be mad if that happened to our team. And it didn't help that he was, according to Clarisse, a huge ball-hog and flirt. But, in all fairness, she clearly hated him, so there was a big chance that her opinion was biased. But, it was the only one I had on him and Percy, who were on my team.

Apparently, according to her, Luke was a huge jerk, and Percy was a really nice guy. Well, Percy and Grover were the only people on her team she got along with, so I could see where that was coming from. But, Percy was apparently very funny and just a good guy overall. And, if I'm going to be honest, he was quite a looker. Piper must have read my mind, because she spoke up.

"So, Annabeth, what do you think of Percy?" I glared at her. I loved her like a sister, but she'd been trying to hook me up with someone for 2 years. And it was becoming slightly annoying. I worded my answer carefully. "Well, he sounds like a good guy, and we all know he's good at basketball. It seems like it'll be fun to be on the same team as him." Piper looked disappointed in my answer, and I just smiled at her. She knew that I'd won. So she moved on to Thalia.

"Okay then. Thalia, how do you feel about Nico?" I stifled a giggle at this. Clarisse had informed us that Nico was okay, but he'd kind of been permanently depressed since his older sister died. He wasn't bad looking, but he wasn't my type at all. That was all for Thalia, who currently had a look between shock and anger on her face. "Pipes, I don't _feel _any kind of way about someone I don't know, and have just been placed on a team." Piper looked disappointed, but she gave up, clearly realizing that we'd won. "Goodnight guys." She called out, before turning off her lamp. I heard Clarisse do the same thing and assumed that she was asleep. Then Thalia said, "Gosh, I love piper, but jeez!" I laughed a bit before turning off my lamp and closing my eyes.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

A/N: I'm sorry for the shortness and OOCness. I had a lot of stuff on my mind while I was writing this. But, anyways, this story will have Thalico, not Thaluke, Jasper, and Gruniper. I might add a teeny tiny bit of Lukabeth to add to the Luke/Annabeth/Percy triangle, but just a teeny bit. Anyways, I promise that the next chapter will be longer and better. I hope you enjoyed this one though (despite the shortness), and please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Surprise update! I honestly wasn't prepared to be able to update again today, but I had nothing else to do. So, I updated! Well, maybe it was because I probably won't be able to update until this weekend. But, anyways, surprise! Lol, review and enjoy!**

Percy's POV

I laughed at a joke Nico had made as me, him, and Grover headed to the gyms for our first practice. Even though we weren't on the same teams, the gyms we would be in were side by side, so we could at least walk together. I half grinned-half grimaced at my team in my head. On the upside, Leo, Jason, and Annabeth were obviously really talented. On the downside, they all played for our rivals, and were bound to have some form of big-headedness about beating us at state last year. Oh, and to forget that was Luke was extremely likely to hit on Annabeth all practice. I could only hope that she wasn't like the girls at our school that were easily wooed by his "charm" and crap.

I scoffed in my head at the visual, but it must have been out loud because Nico said, "Dude, you zoned out again." Then he grinned slyly. "Daydreaming about Annabeth?" I blushed, though it was involuntary. I didn't even know her! But, I had enough sense to retort.

"You can't talk Nico. You know you were off somewhere in Thalia land yesterday." I saw his cheeks flush slightly and heard Grover whistle and mutter, "Burn." Nico glared at me, but I just waved and pointed to the gym that had probably saved my life. I hadn't realized that we were already there, but I was thankful. Younger by three months or not, Nico could still probably beat me up.

After watching them walk into their respective gyms, I braced myself and walked into mine. And what I saw was kind of exactly what I'd expected. Luke was attempting to flirt with Annabeth, who was practicing her free throws. And judging by the scowl on her face, she was about to punch him in the gut. I smirked a little and went to introduce myself to the other two guys that were shooting around at the other end of the gym. From the looks of it they were working on an alley-oop play between the two of them, and it looked pretty impressive. So, to introduce myself I intercepted a pass in midair and layed it up.

The shorter of the guys looked amused, and the taller one looked slightly angry. I figured that now was as good as any time to introduce myself, and was about to speak up until the short guy did. He had a grin on his face and looked like he was enjoying himself. "So, you're the famous Percy Jackson? You know, you don't look quite as impressive as the girls from school said you did." Judging by the mischievous gleam in his eyes, he was joking, so I didn't take it personally.

"And you must be the famous Leo Valdez. I've heard a lot about your point guard abilities." He grinned for the thousandth time as I threw him the ball back. "Why, thank you kind sir. This tall guy is Jason. He's kind of shy." Jason just hit him in the back of his head and gave me a look that seemed to say, "Look at this guy." I just grinned at him and excused myself to go say hi to Annabeth. If we were gonna be a team, I might as well get acquainted with everyone. I stood right in front of her as she shot a free throw and stuck my hand out. "I'm Percy. Percy Jackson." Before replying, she caught the ball and secured it between her side and arm. While I was waiting, I took in tiny details about her (blame the ADHD). Her blond hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she had on purple shorts, purple Nike's, and a gray t-shirt.

Then I was aware of her warm hand briefly shaking mine. She looked at me with amused grey eyes before finally saying, "I'm Annabeth. Annabeth Chase." I grinned at her, and she smiled back. "So, Percy, I ha-." Her question was cut off by Luke who came running down the court, with an annoyed looking Jason and Leo behind him. "Okay guys, are we ready to start?" He shot Annabeth what I guess was supposed to be a charming smile, but she just rolled her eyes and grabbed the ball from Jason.

"So, let's start practice with five suicides." Me and the rest of the guys groaned, but she just took off running.

An hour later, we were stopping to eat lunch. It was simple, but healthy, and it filled us up. And 30 minutes after that, we were back in the gym, working on a play that me and Annabeth had drawn up during lunch. It was fairly simple; she and I started from the wings, and Leo was at the top of the key. Luke was on the elbow, and Jason was on the block.

To start it off, Leo would pass it to either me or Annabeth. Then, Luke would come set a screen for whoever got the ball. Then that person would dribble off the screen, and from there they had 5 options. They were: pass it to Jason on the block, pass it to Luke for the 15 footer, pass it out the Leo for the long jumper, pass it to Annabeth (or me) for the three, or shoot. It was simple yet effective, and after running it a few times, we finally had the hang of it. The rest of practice was 2 on 2 and 3 on 2 games. It was fun, and before I knew it, it was time to go back to our cabins before lights out.

I told Leo and Jason bye, and began walking to my cabin. I would've said bye to Annabeth, but Luke had her tied up. So I just walked on. I didn't stop until I felt someone lightly tap me on the shoulder. I spun around, expecting it to be Grover or Nico, but it was Annabeth. I relaxed instantly and smiled at her. "What's up?" She grinned, obviously amused, and replied, "Nothing much, but you're obviously on edge." I stuck my tongue out at her.

She wasn't like I'd expected her to be. She didn't have _that _much of a big head, and she was pretty cool. And she- just interrupted my thoughts. "Percy, I've got a question." I nodded, gesturing for her to continue. "Do any of you from Goode have like a grudge or anything against us at Johnson? You know, because we beat you guys?" I grinned. "Me, Clarisse, Nico, and Grover all blame Luke, and he blames Nico. So, if anything, we hold a grudge against Luke. No worries." She laughed then, and I have to admit, it was a really pretty laugh. "That's good. I just wanted to make sure. Well, goodnight Percy." I smiled at her. "G'night Annie."

She glared at me. "Don't call me Annie." I couldn't stop smiling. "Okay, okay. My bad. Goodnight _Annabeth_." She smiled at me before walking into her cabin. I grinned, but then I heard someone behind me on a megaphone say, "Hey kid, it's after lights out. Why are you still out here?" I broke into a sprint.

Oh crap.

**A/N: I hoped you enjoyed the surprise! Lol, anyways, please review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello! I didn't have homework today, so I had time to update. I'm sorry if it seems a little rushed, but I didn't have as much time as I usually do to write. I really don't have anything much to talk about, so…I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and review please! **

Annabeth's POV

I was still smiling as I walked into the cabin and closed the door behind me as softly as possible. I sighed in relief as I noticed that the lights were out and everyone appeared to be asleep. That was good; it meant no questions. And then the lights turned on and I was met with 3 pairs of eyes.

Dang it.

Piper was the first to speak up, and there was an evident smirk on her face. "Annabeth, Annabeth, Annabeth," she began in a chiding tone, "What have I told you about being out after curfew with boys?" I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, but I wasn't sure why. I didn't _do _anything. But before I could defend myself, Clarisse raised an eyebrow. "You weren't with _Luke, _were you?" and that was when my tongue untied itself.

"No! How could you even thin-…No, just…No. All he did was hit on me all day long." At first, I was satisfied with my answer, but then it registered that I had just told them exactly who I was with. And judging by the gleam in Thalia's eye, she did too. "If you weren't with Luke, then you must have been with…Percy!" the expression on my face must've been classic, because Clarisse and Piper burst out laughing. I needed to settle this, before it got out of hand. "Look guys, I wasn't _with _anybody. All that happened was that Percy walked me to the cabin, and I was smiling because a counselor had caught him being out after lights out. Okay? There's no hormonal teenage crap going on here." Thalia grinned at me again. "Whatever you say, Beth. If you say that you weren't with the talented, attractive, good-natured Percy Jackson after curfew, we believe you." I groaned and flopped onto my bed. They clearly didn't believe me, so I just buried myself in the covers and covered my head with my pillow. "Goodnight you idiots." All I received in response was another giggle, so I just turned my lamp off and closed my eyes. I'd get them back tomorrow.

_The next morning…_

I decided to walk to practice with Percy and Jason the next morning. I would've invited Leo, but he was late, as usual. Besides, I knew that I'd invited the right two people when they first saw me, exchanged a look, and simultaneously yelled out, "Good morning Annie!" Of course I had beaten them up, but besides that the walk was peaceful. In fact, we were discussing a new play that focused mainly on Jason, Leo, and Luke when Luke (speak of the devil) came up and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Good morning Annabeth." I shrugged myself out from under his grasp and forced a smile. "Hey, Luke. You ready for practice?" He smiled at me. "Of course. Now, what were you guys talking about again?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason's eyes grow annoyed and Percy glaring at the ground. They were obviously annoyed. I could practically feel the testosterone in the air. But, thank God for small miracles.

I was saved by the gym. As soon as we walked in, I grabbed a ball and divided us up. Until Leo arrived, we'd be playing 2 on 2, and the teams would be Luke and I versus Percy and Jason. I would've preferred to be on a team with Percy or Jason, but as our unofficial 'coach', I wanted to see how they played together. The answer: really well. It was like they read each others minds'. They would be in the exactly right place at the right time. I can't even tell you how many times Jason received a perfect alley-oop pass from Percy. It was crazy.

But, I sadly couldn't say the same for Luke and me. We didn't exactly have any kind of "chemistry" on the court, and it didn't exactly help that he was just a little bit of a ball hog (I hope you detected the sarcasm in that statement.). Leo arrived soon after we'd ended that first game, and we split the teams up differently once he came. This time it was Percy and I against Jason, Luke, and Leo. And we kicked serious ass (Please excuse my French.) I didn't keep score, but I'm pretty sure we won by at least 15 points. We absolutely, positively killed them. And while we were walking to lunch, all you heard was Leo talking about how he didn't get a chance to warm up, and Jason actually being a good sport and telling us that it was a good game. Luke was a little ways in front of us, and he was mumbling about getting beat by two girls, which I'm pretty sure was an insult to Percy. But, he either ignored it or didn't hear it.

At lunch, I sat with Percy, and we just talked. I was surprised at how easy it was for me to just "talk" to him; it felt like we were old friends. I knew that I was telling my whole life story to a guy that I barely knew, but I didn't feel any kind of way about it. And I could tell that that was how he felt because he told me his story, too.

_After lunch…_

The rest of practice went something like this: we came up with a play, we ran it a few times, and it just repeated over and over again. Right before we were about to leave, Juniper walked in. "Hey guys. I'm glad I caught you before you left. So, because of a change in schedule, your first game will be tomorrow! You will have a few hours to warm up in the morning, and your game will be at 1 o'clock. Good luck." And then she was gone.

Well, how's that for short notice. I took in my teammates faces. Luke looked overconfident and cocky, Percy and Leo looked ready to play, and Jason looked a teeny bit nervous. Good, that meant that we were ready…for the most part. We'd have to work hard in the morning, but I was pretty sure we could handle it. And on that note, I bid them goodnight and walked to my cabin.

But, Percy ended up walking with me again, and we ended up talking, _again. _But, it was nice, and we were at my cabin too soon. I walked in about 2 full minutes before lights out, and I was pretty sure I was smiling. But, I had enough sense to ignore the ignorance coming form my cabin mates and get to sleep. Tomorrow would be our first game, and we needed to be ready.

**A/N: I apologize for the crappiness of this chapter, but I'm saving the good stuff for the next one. Their first game is coming up! And maybe a little bit of Percabeth is too. You never know. Anyways, I have a question. Is Annabeth OOC? I feel like when I write in her POV, its waaaaaaaaay too OOC. So, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and please review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hiya! I was headed home from basketball practice yesterday, and I realized that I hadn't updated in about a week. So, here is chapter 5! Also, is Annabeth OOC? I feel like she is. Anyways, enjoy and review!**

Percy's POV

Apparently, since this was my second night in a row getting to the cabin after lights out, it was time for interrogation.

I should've known.

When I walked in, Luke, Grover, and Nico were awake in their beds and staring down at me, all looking amused. I half-heartedly attempted a grin.

And that was when Nico and Grover burst out laughing. I figured it would be safest for me to laugh along, so I did. And they probably would've forgotten about interrogation from laughing so hard until Luke just _had _to say something. "Percy, please explain to us why you've been late for the past 2 nights in a row? Inquiring minds want to know." I had to suppress a snort at that. The only thing Luke's mind inquired about was how he could get a girl.

"Well, _Luke,_ the first night I was late because I was walking Annabeth to her cabin." I could feel his glare, but I just grinned at him. "And I was late tonight because after walking her home again," Cue stronger glare. "I had to run back to the gym and get my water bottle. Is your _inquiring mind _satisfied yet?" He smiled sarcastically at me, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head. He was making a plan. And it wasn't going to end well for one of us.

He spoke again. "Whatever Percy. Just go to bed. We have a game tomorrow, remember?" I glared at him, and he smiled once more before turning his lamp off and closing his eyes.

Good riddance. But now I had to deal with Nico and Grover. Well, it looked like it was just gonna be Grover. Nico had retired for the night somewhere in the middle of our conversation. Grover eyed me skeptically. "I can understand the first reason because it makes sense. But were you _really _late today because you had to go get your bottle?" I felt myself blush as the full extent of what he was implying hit me. "Yes, Grover, I did. I swear I did. Now, can I please go to sleep?" He grinned at me and turned his light off. "Sure Perce. But, don't forget to use protection!" I threw a pillow at his head, but he just laughed. And so did Nico.

So much for him being asleep.

I groaned into my pillow and hit the lights. We had a game tomorrow, and I'd need to be well rested.

_The next morning…_

"Percy, WAKE UP!" I jumped out of bed, and succeeded in falling on the floor on my face. Whoever was yelling at me was about to get it. "What the he-…Oh, hey Annabeth. What time is it?" So Annabeth was the one yelling in my ear. Wonderful.

She gave me a look that was a cross between anger, impatience, and amusement. "Its ten minutes till 12 Percy." I let that sink in for a minute. Dang it, the game started at 12! "Oh crap, I'm sorry Annabeth. I'll just throw on some shorts and a t-shirt and we can go. Can you just, like, turn around or something? It'll only be a second." She shot me another amused look before turning, and I threw on a shirt and slid some shorts over my boxers. "Okay, you can turn now." She nodded in approval at what I had on and gestured to the door. "Come _on, _Percy. Let's go!" I took a quick look around the cabin before grabbing my high tops and following her out the door, making sure it was closed.

I couldn't stand the silence as we walked to the gym (blame the ADHD), so I spoke up. "Annie, why didn't anyone wake me up?" She punched me in the gut before answering. "They claimed that they tried everything, but you just wouldn't move. So Grover came and got me." I could see the amused, smug glint in her eye, so I steered the subject as far away from that as possible. "So, did you by chance bring me any breakfast?" She smirked at me, and I suddenly felt my cheeks heating. But why?

She produced a bag from her pocket and handed it to me. "Yes, Percy, I did. It's a bagel with cream cheese. Bon appetite." I smiled gratefully at her, but then we were at the gym.

As soon as we walked in, Leo grinned mischievously at me, and Jason shook his head a bit. But he was still smiling. I grinned at the two of them and made my way to the bleachers to begin lacing up my shoes. It barely took 5 minutes, and once I finished I scarfed down my bagel and waited for the referees to begin the game. And 10 minutes later, they did. The chubbier of the 2 spoke. "Team captains, I need you all over here." I glanced at Annabeth, and she nodded before meeting me at the circle. Once we were all there, I sized up the other captains. They looked to be twin brothers, but you could tell which was which because one was about 2 inches taller, and one looked slightly more fit.

While the refs were explaining good sportsmanship and all that, I was sizing up the rest of the team. There was another guy on there bench that looked to be about 6'10", and he was clearly the center. There was a girl that was a point guard who was about 6'1", and another girl that looked to be about Annabeth's height. My first instinct told me that they wouldn't be much competition, but I'd learn the hard way that I couldn't trust that. It would just result in you getting beat.

Anyways, I zoned back into the conversation once the refs said, "Shake hands, and then we will begin." So I shook their hands, and went to get in the huddle with the rest of the team. Surprisingly enough (not), Leo was our hype man.

"Alright, guys. This is our first game, and no matter what those guys look like, we can't underestimate them. So, let's go out there and kick some a-…booty! Okay?" I couldn't help but laugh, and apparently neither could anyone else.

Anyways, after that wonderful pep rally, we walked to the circle for jump ball, and the beginning of the game. As soon as Jason won the tip, we were off. Leo ended up with it, and he threw it down the court to me, and I dished out to Luke for the three. It was smooth, and we pulled away in the first half, leading by 12. But, in the third quarter, they began catching up. By the time there were 10 seconds left in the 4th, we were down by 1, and we needed a plan. So I called a timeout and brought everyone to the bench.

"Okay guys, I have a plan. But, if all of us don't work together on it, we're gonna lose. First, Annabeth and I will start at the wing. Luke and Jason, you guys will be on the elbows. Leo, you'll be at the top of the key with the ball. To begin, Luke and Jason, you guys will screen for me and Annabeth. Then, if you don't get the ball from Leo when you roll to the basket, you'll head back to the elbow, and me and Annabeth will go back to the wing. Sound good?" Everyone nodded, but I could see the looks of uncertainty in there eyes. To be honest, I was a bit on the fence myself. It was a simple play, too simple, and our opponents might decipher it. But, it was all we had, and that was something we clearly all agreed about. So we headed back onto the court.

I passed it in to Leo, and Luke and Jason immediately screened. I was open on the wing, and he threw it to me. By then, we had only 5 seconds left. I squared up, ready to shoot, but in the corner of my eye I saw Annabeth get by her defender and cut to the basket for the lay-up. So, instead I passed it off to her, and she threw it up right before the buzzer sounded. It rolled around the rim before falling in. We won!

I shook hands with the players of the other team quickly, and then I headed to Leo and Jason, who were both grinning.

"Really good game guys. Really good."

Leo grinned and said, "You too, Perce. But, now that it's over, I think I'm gonna go head over there." He pointed to the point guard of the other team and began walking over there, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Jason grinned at me. "I would feel bad for him, but he's been rejected so many times that he's probably used to it by now. And good game Percy." I laughed before walking over to Luke, who was in the midst of a conversation with Annabeth. As I got closer, I could make out what he was saying. "Okay, so is that a yes...Great! Thank you so much Annabeth, I really appreciate it!" And then he was off, but not before smiling smugly at me when he passed.

I glared at him before heading over to Annabeth, who looked like she'd just done something she'd regret. I smiled at her playfully; "It sounds like little Annie's got a date with Luke. Is that right?" The words were meant to sound playful, and they did, but it wasn't until I spoke that I realized that the idea of her dating someone else hurt. Why was that? She was my teammate, my friend. Maybe it was big brother protectiveness. Or maybe….

She grinned at me before shoving me a bit. "No, I do not. Luke asked me to train with him twice a week in the mornings and I told him I would…I'll probably regret that in a week. Anyways, that was a really nice pass you made." I smiled at her. "And that was a great cut and shot. It as a great game overall." I saw her faintly blush, and a tiny part of me thought that she looked nice when she did.

"Good game to you too Jackson. We have practice early tomorrow, so please set your alarm clock for 9 o'clock." I stuck my tongue out at her, and she just smiled before exiting the gym. Since it was now empty, and we had the rest of the day to ourselves because of the game, I shot around for the rest of the day. And 5 minutes before lights out, I packed my stuff up and headed to the cabin. I was actually the first one there, so I hopped into the bed and closed my eyes. It had been a long day, and I was more tired than I'd realized. I fell asleep thinking about basketball and Annabeth and Luke.

**A/N: And that was chapter 5. It was the longest chapter I've ever written so far, but it wasn't the best. I wasn't satisfied with how it turned out, but I hope you guys liked it. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm so, so, **_**so **_**sorry that I haven't updated in like 3 weeks. I've been crazy busy with school and basketball and community service and stuff like that. But, guess what? This story has…2,700+ views! When I first saw that, I kinda stared at the computer for a few minutes. 2,700 views!? That's crazy! Thank you guys so much for the support! Anyways, here's Chapter 6 of Love And Basketball. Enjoy and review! **

Annabeth's POV 

I smiled (Genuinely this time, not exasperatedly) at Luke as he (finally) did the drill I'd showed him correctly. It was Friday, which marked the end of our first week of training. I'd learned a lot about Luke, like how his dad left him when he was eight and his mom was a little…quirky, for lack of a better word. He ran away from home when he was 12, but he got lucky and found an orphanage to stay in until he was adopted two weeks later.

Turns out that Mr. Playboy didn't have such an easy life. And outside of the public eye, he was actually nice, funny, and sweet. But once he got anywhere near Percy, Jason, or Leo (Mostly Percy) he turned back into an arrogant, big-headed jerk.

I forced these thoughts out of my head as the rest of our teammates arrived to the gym. Jason and Percy were laughing at something and Leo looked somewhat annoyed and embarrassed. I could make out something Percy managed to say between his burst s of laughter. "I can't believe…he tried to flirt with…Thalia…_in front _of Nico!" I snorted (Very unladylike, I know), and I behind me I could hear Luke do the same. Thalia and Nico had begun dating on Wednesday, and Nico was already super protective over her. It was borderline possessive.

And Leo was an incredibly stupid idiot to hit on her.

As I tuned into the conversation/argument, I heard Leo trying to defend himself. "Hey! I admit that it wasn't very smart, but she's hot, and I didn't see Nico behind me…" Jason snorted.

"Dude, she's like 7 inches taller than you. It just wasn't meant to be." At that statement Percy burst into laughter, his sea green eyes sparkling with amusement. I made my way over to the boys, figuring that now was as good a time as any to save Leo from any further embarrassment. "Okay, now while I have to admit that what Leo did was really stupid," Cue glare/pout from Leo, "It's practice time. Lace up your shoes, get _serious, _and let's go. We've got our third game of the season tonight."

I must've forgotten to mention this, but we played again on Wednesday. And we won by a score of 74-61. The other team had only one, really good and experienced player, and his name was Will. So yeah, it was honestly more of a scrimmage for us. We worked on two new plays that Percy and I had come up with Monday during lunch, and we increased our stamina. That game did us a lot of good.

But, that game also marked the day when Percy and Luke's arguing became more intense than usual. In fact, in the third quarter we almost let the game get away from us because they allowed their off-the-court rivalry thing (Though it sounded like a bunch of testosterone crap to me) to affect them on the court. It was really, really childish and stupid, and I planned on having a talk with them about whatever _it _was today after practice. Sadly, this meant that I'd have to deal with it for practice.

_After practice…_

I sat Percy and Luke down on the bench, and then pulled up a chair to sit in so I was facing them. "Alright you two, spill it. What's going on?"

**A/N: Cliffie! I've always wanted to do a cliffie, and even though this isn't much of one, I'm happy I did. Anyways, this is kind of short because it's more of a filler chapter. Everything gets serious next chapter. And I'm **_**so **_**sorry for not updating in like 3 weeks, but I've been crazy busy. I promise I'll try to update at least once or twice a week from now on, probably on Tuesday's and Thursday's, which are my only free days. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and review please! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! I meant to update on Tuesday, but I got in trouble at school so I got my computer taken away. Sorry about that. But, to make up for it, this chapter is long. Well, at least longer than the last one. Anyways, here's chapter 7. Enjoy and review! **

Percy's POV

I stared at Annabeth, confused, as she looked between Luke and I. What did she mean, "What's up?" As far as I could tell, Luke and I were finally _trying _to get along. In fact, I think our last "argument" took place at breakfast the day before our most recent game.

_Flashback_

Nico and Grover were getting dressed in our cabin, running late as usual, so I walked into breakfast without them. After I got my breakfast, I found Annabeth and Thalia sitting alone at a table and went to go sit with them. Annabeth smirked at Thalia as I sat down, and whispered something into her ear that made her snort. Basically, that meant it was about me.

Oh, it was _on. _

I leaned across the table, ready to get my revenge, when Luke came out of nowhere and slid into the seat next to Thalia. I mentally groaned. What could he possibly want?

I figured out the answer to that question when he used some stupid, weak, pick up line on Thalia. I could see the anger in Thalia's eyes, and I stepped in before she felt the need to hurt Luke. As much as I…disliked him, I wouldn't wish her rage on anyone. So I (Against my better judgment) stepped in. "Really Luke? You know that she's dating Nico. Everyone does." He glared at me before smirking.

"Yes, _Prissy, _I am aware of this. I'm also aware of the fact that it's none of your damn business what I say to her or anyone else in this camp." I clenched my fists at his use of my nickname that I'd received from Clarisse. I didn't like it at all, but she was the only person that called me that, and I intended for it to stay that way.

"Luke, you should stop. We all know that not a single girl, or boy, in this camp wants you." He smirked at me.

"That's where you're wrong Perce. I _know_ that your _best friend _Annabeth wants me. And Calypso wanted me, too. In fact, she wanted me so badly that she left _you _for me."

I could feel the barely suppressed anger coming to the surface, and I had to force myself to not deck Luke then and there. I threw my untouched breakfast away and walked into the gym, where I shot the anger away. I was pissed at Luke for even thinking of mentioning Calypso. That…it was a mistake. It was a big one. And the fact that Luke brought it up after three years just made me even angrier.

_End of Flashback_

I tuned back into the present and said the first thing that popped into my head. "Huh?" Smart right? Annabeth shot me an exasperated look and elaborated on her question. She pointed at me, then at Luke. "What is the problem that you two have with each another?"

"Um, we just have differing personalities, and we're dudes. So, there's a lot of testosterone added to it. Yeah, that's it." Annabeth glared at me, and I could tell that she didn't believe any of the crap I'd just tried to feed her. I wouldn't either, but in my defense, not all of it was a lie. We _did _have greatly differing personalities, and the testosterone part wasn't exactly a lie. I just didn't know what to tell her. I wasn't going to be like, "Oh, back in 9th grade I had a girlfriend named Calypso, and we were together until 11th grade when Luke practically stole her away from me. Oh yeah, and she slept with him before she moved away to Arizona."

I was NOT about to tell her that. I don't fully blame Calypso for what happened, but it left me pretty shaken up, even though I don't like to admit it. And that's why I was so pissed when Luke mentioned her the other day. It hurt.

I turned to Annabeth again, now knowing what to tell her. "Luke and I, we just don't get along. We just _don't._ But, for the sake of the team, we'll try. I promise." I smiled reassuringly at her, but her gray eyes still seemed like they were staring a hole right through me, and I knew that if I ended up walking her home tonight I'd have a lot of explaining to do.

_After the game…_

We won 73-69. It was a close one, but with a minute left Leo made a clutch three that put us in the lead. He also led us in scoring with 16 points, and Jason and Annabeth were right behind him, both with 15 each.

I walked out of the gym with Annabeth and Leo, laughing at some stupid joke Leo had made. We talked about stupid stuff until we reached Leo's cabin, and he went in, saying, "Have fun lovebirds! Don't get too cozy out there!", thus causing me to blush and Annabeth to laugh. But once he walked inside, Annabeth turned to me, and the joking atmosphere was gone and replaced with an air of seriousness. I knew that she wanted the truth, and she wanted it then. And to be completely honest with you, I wanted to tell her. So, it was for that reason that I prepared myself to tell Annabeth Chase everything. No matter how embarrassing or pathetic it may be.

**A/N: Chapter 7 is done and posted! Guess what? I thought of a plot line for a sequel for this story, and depending on how this story turns out, I might do it. Maybe. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review! **

**P.S. - I'm really, really sorry for the shorter than usual chapters. I try to write more, but it's like my brain refuses to. I'm sorry, but the upcoming chapters should (will) be longer. I promise! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hiya guys! Here's Chapter 8 of Love And Basketball. Enjoy and review!**

Annabeth's POV

Percy sighed deeply before turning to me. There was a strange look in his green eyes; a mixture of uncertainty, worry, and determination. He caught me looking and shot me a wry grin. "So, I'm guessing you want me to tell you why Luke and I don't really get a long." I shot him a half-hearted glare that I hoped hid my anxiety. I really, really wanted to hear this.

He smirked at me before clearing his throat dramatically. "Well, on August 18, 1995**(A/N: This story takes place in the summer of 2013)**, a big bundle of sunshine was born. This bundle of sunshine was named Perseus Jackson, and he…"

"He was- no, sorry- _is _explaining himself to Annabeth Chase. Because she wants- no, _needs _to hear this." He shot me an apologetic look and sighed. "Okay, okay. So, I guess it all began in our freshman year in High School. I walked into homeroom, and I saw this girl. She was…she was beautiful. She really was. Her name was Calypso."

I vaguely remembered a "Calypso" being mentioned the last time Luke and Percy had a "falling out". But I hadn't really payed attention to what was said before her name was mentioned because I was still pissed about what Luke said about me. Coming out of my trance, I realized that Percy had stopped talking. I shoved him gently with my shoulder, and he took a deep, shaky breath before he began talking.

"About two months into the school year, I grew a pair and asked her out. It went smoothly for the rest of the year. But in 10th grade, Luke started to hit on her unfalteringly, and it got so persistently bad that he and I ended up fighting about it. Like a legit fight. We both got suspended, but I felt that I had done the right thing. After that day, he eased up on the flirting."

He paused again, then continued.

"About halfway through 11th grade, Calypso told me that her family was moving. I…well I didn't take it too well, to say the least. I was really pissed at first, but I realized, with the help of Grover and Nico, that it wasn't her fault. I realized that, as cliché as it was, I needed to enjoy the days I had left with her, or else I'd regret not doing it when she left. And so I did."

Percy took a pause again, and I chose that moment to say something. "Um, this is a great story and all, but what does this have to do with you and Luke?" He chuckled to himself a bit before he stopped walking and faced me. "You know, you're a lot like her. Calypso, I mean." I shifted uncomfortably, not exactly sure of what to say. "Um, thanks. So, can you finish the story please?" He grinned at me, but I could see the hints of sadness in his eyes.

"Where was I? Oh yeah, so one day before school was out, we were talking by the lockers, and she mentioned that she thought we should break-up. She said that she didn't want all of the stress that came with a long distance relationship. I remember not saying anything, and then her kissing me on the cheek and whispering in my ear that she would be gone by tomorrow morning. I came to my senses, and before she could walk away, I wrapped her in a hug and told her I loved her."

His voice cracked then, and Annabeth immediately felt bad for ever asking him to tell her this story. She gave him a one-armed side hug, and he smiled appreciatively at her before continuing.

"She whispered it back, and then she walked out. No promise to keep in, nothing like that. The next day when I walked into school, Nico and Grover immediately cornered me. "Dude, did you hear what Luke's saying?" I groaned then shook my head, confused. Grover shot me a sympathetic look, and Nico looked straight pissed. "Um, what exactly is he saying?" Grover answered my question. "He, uh, he's claiming that he slept with Calypso last night. I don't know if it's true or not, but that's what he's claiming." I remember how I felt when he said that; numb. I wasn't angry, sad, mad, depressed, none of that. I was numb. Numb because I knew, deep down inside of me, that it was true." Cue deep breath.

"I remember ending up in the gym where Luke and his buddies were. I don't remember how I ended up there, but it was where I usually went when I was feeling some kind of way. Anyways, as soon as I walked in, Luke smirked at me and started yelling insults about Calypso at me. He called my girlfriend, well ex really, a slut, hoe, tramp; just about anything you could think of. I was about to swing on him, and I knew it, but I felt someone holding me back. I think it was Nico. So, yeah, there you have it. Luke and I's history, if you could even call it that. Since you have me talking, is there anything else you want to know?"

I stared at him, feeling a lot of different emotions. Sympathy, anger, pity, you name it. But, instead of showing those emotions, I attempted a grin and said, "Well, since you asked, what are you going to major in?" He grinned at me, visibly happy with the change of subject. "Marine biology, definitely. It's something I've been fascinated with since I was a kid. What about you?" I smiled to myself, thinking about my major.

"Architecture definitely. It, besides basketball, is one of my favorite things to do. I love it."

Percy's POV

I felt myself grinning as Annabeth explained why she loved architecture so much. It was nice to see her so energetic and enthusiastic about something. But, I had to stop her rant because I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. "Wow, that's great. I'm happy for you. What colleges are you considering?" She glared at me, but I could see the amusement in her eyes at me not knowing what the hell she was talking about.

"Well, I've been looking at Duke, Stanford, and Connecticut. What about you?" I stared at her, not really expecting that question to be asked. "Well, I've been offered scholarships to Duke, Syracuse, Louisville, and Michigan, but I'm not quite sure where I'll go." She nodded appreciatively at what I said. "Good, those are good schools."

Before I knew it, we were at my cabin instead of hers. We'd already passed hers on accident. I grinned at her mischievously. "Aww, thanks for walking me home Annie. I really appreciate it." She punched me half-heartedly in the arm, and I noticed how pretty she looked with that smirk on her face. "I have to Perseus. You might get lost otherwise."

"Ouch, that one hurt. Glad to know that you love me."

She grinned at me before turning to walk away. "Goodnight, Percy." She called over her shoulder. As I watched her walk away, I suddenly knew what I had to do. "Annabeth, wait." She turned around, confused, and so I kissed her. It was one of the best feelings in the world. I could feel her smile against my lips as she kissed me back, and that made me smile as well.

Too soon she pulled away, both of us flushed and breathing hard. I smiled genuinely at her. "Goodnight, Annie." She reached up and kissed me again, this time lightly on the lips. "Goodnight, Percy." And then she was off to her cabin.

I turned and walked into my cabin, still smiling. And then the light over Luke's bed turned on, and he stared at me with cold, hard, blue eyes.

"Percy, Percy, Percy…What did I tell you about messing with what I want?"

**A/N: Sorry about the sucky Percabeth scene. I'm a single pringle, so fluff isn't exactly my specialty. Also, I'm sorry for any errors. I was watching the Final Four games while I typed this. I hope that this chapter was long enough for you guys, and I hope you enjoyed it. Review please! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys. So, this story is just about over. There will be maybe 2 or 3 more chapters, and then an epilogue, and that's it. But, I think I'll do the sequel. So after this one is over, make sure to keep an eye out for the next one. On the upside, I'm finally on spring break! Yaay! So…yeah, um, here's chapter 9. Enjoy and review! **

Percy's POV

"Percy, Percy, Percy…What did I tell you about messing with what I want?"

I stared at Luke, astonished. "Do I need to remind you about Calypso? And Annabeth is not just a…a toy to play with when you're bored. She's a freaking human being, Luke, and she has feelings and a heart, unlike you, you freaking bastard."

Luke glared/smirked at me, and I could tell that this was about to turn into an all out war. A tiny space in the back of my brain wondered where Grover and Nico were, and if they'd be back in time to stop me from beating the hell out of Luke.

"Calypso gave herself to me, Percy; I didn't have to take anything. She gave me what I wanted. And Annabeth…Oh she's a beauty. There's no doubt about it. I would congratulate you on pulling her, but… she won't be yours for very much longer."

I could see red after he said that (It was a little dramatic for me, but that's the best way I can describe it.), and I knew that if someone didn't show up soon, it was going to get ugly soon.

And then there was a knock on the door, which confused me. Grover and Nico had a key; they could get in just fine. But I opened the door, figuring that they'd lost it or something. And once it opened, I was face to face with none other than Annabeth Chase.

Her lips were still slightly swollen from our…er, kiss, and her was slightly messy, but she still looked great. She smiled up at me. "So, because your brain is full of nothingness, you left your ball at the gym. I left mine there, too, and when I went to go get it, I saw yours. And being the wonderful girl-…friend I am, I brought it to you."

I smiled at her, completely forgetting about Luke fro a second, and whispered in her ear, "You can say girlfriend now, Annie. I mean, unless you don't want to date the amazingly talented, handsome, and modest Percy Jackson."

She threw my ball onto my bed (I have no idea how she knew it was mine; probably because it was the messiest, and shoved me lightly, failing miserably to hide her smile. "Don't call me Annie, _Perseus._" I opened my mouth to retort, but then Luke cleared his throat, and I remembered that he was here and I was still pissed at him. Annabeth turned her eyes away from me and focused on Luke, and I did the same.

Seeing that he had our full attention, he smirked. "Well hello, Annabeth. What a coincidence to see you here at this hour. In fact, Percy and I were just talking about you." Annabeth raised a blonde eyebrow at him, as if to say _Oh, really?_ , and Luke smiled at her. "Yes, but that's not important right now. What is important is the fact that your _friend _Percy here is convinced that you have no feelings for me, at all."

Annabeth's face remained emotionless, but her eyes lit up the same way they do when she's talking about architecture, and I knew that she had a plan of some sorts. "Oh, he is? Well, let me let you in on a little secret." She spoke as she walked over to Luke's bunk, and by the time she was done talking she was peering up at him, smiling slightly. Luke smiled, too, and I felt uncertainty surge through me.

What was Annabeth doing? Was she doing the same thing Calypso did? I was a little (Well, a lot) worried, but deep down I knew that she wouldn't do anything like that. Would she? And, I was proven correct when she punched Luke Castellan dead in his nose. He yelped in surprise, and held his hand to his nose, which was bleeding pretty badly.

Annabeth smiled again at him before walking back over to me. "Luke, I don't like you. Honestly, you're kind of a bitch, and a whore, and therefore I could never like you. I hope you get that through your skull soon, or else I'll have to give you another _friendly _reminder." I could feel the goofy, relieved smile spread across my face, and I faintly heard Luke make his way to the bathroom to wipe. I turned my attention to Annabeth.

"Jeez Annie, you had me scared for a second. But, you know, I could've easily punched him in the nose for you. Trust me that would not have been a problem at all." She kissed me on the cheek and shrugged. "It doesn't always have to be the boy saves the girl from the jerk. We females have plenty of moments." And, on that note she was off.

Of course about 30 seconds after she left, Nico and Grover walked in, looking confused and surprised. "Why was Annabeth just leaving? And why is Luke's nose wrapped in gauze?" I grinned at my best friends. "You guys missed a lot."

_The next day at practice…_

"Okay, boys, listen up. We have two quarterfinal games today. If we lose one, we don't play tomorrow. If we win both, then we play tomorrow in the semifinals for sure. If we win one, we might be able to make the semis. Got that?"

We all nodded, somewhat scared of Annabeth at the moment.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way, you're gonna' need to run home and grab your jerseys. I may have forgotten that our first game is in an hour." I groaned along with everyone else and got ready to complain to Annabeth, but she was already out the door, apparently going to get her uniform.

I glanced quickly at Leo and Jason, who were frowning slightly. I smiled at them. "Well guys, you heard the lady, let's go." I heard Leo mumble something that sounded like "You're just saying that because she's your girlfriend.", but I chose to ignore it. I'd beat him up after we made it through the semis.

**A/N: Done! I know it's short, but the next chapter will go more into detail about their games and Percabeth. Also, I feel like this was the most cliché thing I've ever written. I'm not too happy with it. Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter, and please review! **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry for not updating in about a month. I've been busy with basketball and life and stuff. Anyways, here's chapter 10 of Love And Basketball. Enjoy, and please review. **

Annabeth's POV

As soon as Jason tipped the jump ball to Leo we were off to the races. Leo dribbled a bit then passed it up to me at the wing. I faked the pass back to him and then dumped it down to Luke in the post, and he easily scored the first points of the game. But the other team's PG was really fast (Like, as fast as Leo fast.), and he answered back with a three on the other end. And that's basically how the game went.

The score at the end of the first quarter was 21-19, us.

By halftime it was 37-29, and they were winning.

At the end of the third it was 47-46, and they were winning.

With two minutes left in the fourth, they were up 63-59. But then Percy went on a run all by himself.

Now, I'd heard a lot about how Percy Jackson was possibly one of the best players in the fourth quarter in the country, but I'd never really seen it in a game. At least, I hadn't seen it until today. And, wow, was it a sight to see.

At first he made a three, which wasn't really a big deal because he made those all the time. But then he got a steal, took it all the way down court, made the lay-up, and got fouled. He sunk his free throw, and with that we were up 65-63 with half a minute left. The other team called a time out, and I led our team to the bench.

"Great job out there guys. Look, we've got the lead, and time is on our side, so let's slow it down and make smart plays, okay? Team on three, 1, 2, thr-." Leo interrupted me, a confused look on his face.

"Wait. We need a team name, don't we? We can't say let's go team. That's lame!"

I shot him an amused look. "Well, until you guys come up with something, Team it is." The horn blew, signaling that it was time for us to get back on the court. "Team on three; one, two three, Team!"

We headed back onto the court, waiting for the other team to come out. It was their ball on the sidelines, and they stacked up, getting the ball in to their point guard. He dribbled up the court, faked a pass to the wing, and then dumped it to the post. Their center, who I'm proud to say, was a girl, made the easy lay-up, and then the game was tied 65-65 with ten seconds left.

I took the ball out and passed it in to Leo, who took no time getting up the court. He passed it to Percy, who faked a three and threw an alley hoop pass to Jason, who dunked it easily. There were 1.1 seconds left, and their point guard threw up a desperate half court shot. It missed completely, and I smiled to myself as the buzzer sounded. One game down for today, one more to go.

We shook hands with the members of the other team then headed outside to discuss the game. I grinned at the boys I'd grown proud to call my teammates. "Great game today guys. I'm not gonna talk a lot because I know you guys want to decide on a team name, so that's it. Who has ideas for team names?"

Leo spoke up first, which didn't come as a surprise to anyone. "What about the Flamethrowers? That sounds cool, right?" I lifted my head from the ground long enough to shake my head at him. Jason was the next person to suggest something.

"What about the Bolts or The Lightning or something?" I shook my head no at that one. That was Thalia's team name, and I didn't want to hear her whine about us stealing her team name.

"What about the Riptides? That sounds pretty cool." I took a second to think about the name Percy had just suggested. It wasn't great, but it definitely wasn't worse than Flamethrowers. I smiled. "That works Percy. Good idea. Does everyone agree with this?" Jason and Luke nodded, but Leo mumbled "Are you kidding? How is that any better than Flamethrowers?" I grinned at him. "Because it is Valdez. Now quit whining, we've got a game in three hours."

He mumbled some thing that sounded like "You're just saying that cause he's your boyfriend.", and I resisted the urge to smack him in the head. Luckily Jason did it for me, and I couldn't help but laugh.

**A/N: I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but I needed to post something after over a month. I hope you guys liked it, and I promise the next one will be longer and better. Review please! **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here's chapter 11 of Love and Basketball. Enjoy and review! Oh, and go spurs! **

Annabeth's POV

Since we all had three hours until our next game, Percy, Jason, Piper, Thalia, Nico, Leo, and I decided to go to the cafeteria. They were offering Gatorade and snacks to all the players for in between games. Percy and I offered to stay at the table while everyone else went and got their food.

For a while, it was comfortably silent. Until, "You know Annie, I never officially asked you to be my girlfriend. Like, officially."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you kind of sealed the deal when you kissed me. You forgot already?" I teased him.

He blushed slightly, probably thinking I was being serious. "No, of course I didn't forget! I just…I just wanted to make it official. My mom always taught me to make everything official. Or, as official as things can be."

I smirked at him and pinched his cheeks. "Aw, you're such a mama's boy. But it's cute, in a weird way." He shook his head, and got up to get his food. Instead of getting up with him, I asked him to get me a Gatorade and some olives (Don't ask.).

After a few minutes of sitting by myself, the others came over to the table. Everybody else had a drink and some fruit or chips or something, but Leo had two waters, 3 bags of chips, 2 candy bars, and 2 slices of pizza.

I just stared at him, silently debating whether I should make him but half of the food back or let him eat it and puke on the court. I figured. I'd just decided to make him put it up, but Jason beat me to it.

"Dude, put some of that back. You're gonna puke on the court." Leo began to protest, saying that it would make the other team slip up (not funny), but eventually Thalia took a slice of his pizza, 2 of his bags of chips, and a candy bar and threw them away. She pretended to wipe her hands, and then sat back down next to Nico, leaving a pouting Leo sitting across from her.

I chuckled a little, and at that moment Percy came back, bearing gifts. He sat the Gatorade and olives down and dramatically said, "For you, my Princess."

I laughed and opened the Gatorade, pausing to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks Perce." He shrugged in response.

Lunch consisted mostly of Leo cracking stupid jokes and nobody really laughing at them. It was fun to just relax and hang out with friends. But, our game was in 30 minutes, and we needed to go find Luke.

I grabbed Percy, Jason, and Leo and told everyone else bye. We headed to the gym, hoping to see Luke on the way, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. Percy and Jason wanted to go search for him, but I figured he would get here soon enough. He might be a jerk, but he loved basketball just as much as the rest of us. He'd be here soon enough.

Meanwhile, the rest of us got warmed up. We shot around a little, played some light 2-on-2, and worked on our plays. Luke finally showed up when there were only 5 minutes until the game started.

Jason asked him where he'd been, and he just smirked and said he lost track of time. I shook my head slightly, but decided not to acknowledge it. No need to start a fight before the game.

We won tip-off, and as soon as Leo got the ball we were off. Jason scored the first two points of the game. The other team wasn't very good, so it wasn't a tough match. We won 76-61. Jason was the high point, as he scored 18 points and had 9 rebounds. After the game, we checked the brackets to see who we would play tomorrow in the semis. If we won that game, we'd go to the championship.

And in the championship we'd play…

Thalia's team.

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I know its super short, but the next one will be longer. Anyways, review, and the next chapter should be up soon. **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm back! Ha, sorry for two month long wait, but here's chapter 12 of Love And Basketball. Enjoy, review, and read the important authors note at the end. **

Percy's POV

So we'd end up playing Thalia's team. Great. Just great.

**LINEBREAKLINEBREAKLINEBREAKLINEBREAKLINEBREAKLINEB R**

"Hey mom."

"Percy, we haven't heard from you in forever! How's camp? How've you been? Are you having fun? Are there any girls Paul and I need to know about? Is the-."

"Mom!" I was pretty sure she could hear my blush through the phone. "Camp is great, I'm fine, and-."

"Ooh, there's a girl, isn't there?"

"Um…yeah. Her name is Annabeth. Annabeth Chase."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"_Mom_...Yeah, she is."

"Percy, I'm not really sure- Sorry Percy, I have to go. Paul is burning the spaghetti. I'll tell him you said hi. Have fun at camp Percy! Love you!"

"Love you, too, mom. Bye."

As soon as I hung up the phone I felt two huge hands cover my eyes.

"Hey boyfriend, how was your day today?" If the muffled laughter wasn't a hint to who it was, the hairy knuckles and horrible falsetto voice gave it away. "Very funny, Nico. Wait until I tell Thalia how high your voice just got."

"Burn," Grover muttered under his breath, and I laughed a bit to myself. "Hey, while it's great to see you guys again, I think I'm gonna head to the gym and get some shots up before tomorrow. You know, get ready to beat you guys and the other team we'll be playing."

"Sure, Perce, whatever helps you sleep at night. Oh yeah, and Annabeth's in the gym with Piper, just in case you wanted to know." He winked, and I resisted the urge to deck him right then and there. "Thank you for the irrelevant information, Nico. I appreciate it."

He smirked again, and I was reminded of the annoying little brother I never had. "So your girlfriend's whereabouts are irrelevant now? I'll be sure to tell Thalia to pass that on." My face probably turned redder than a tomato.

"No, no, that's not what I meant! I just meant that…you know…Grover, explain to Nico what I meant! I need to go practice." He nodded and grinned and I walked away, the sounds of their argument following me until I made it to the gym. I opened the door, and sure enough Piper and Annabeth were in there, playing a game of 21. By the looks of it Annabeth was winning, but only by a little.

I watched silently as she pulled up for the mid-range jumper and nailed it, calling out "21!" as it fell through the hoop silently. Piper groaned and mumbled, "Damn it, Annie, I never was able to beat you."

"You did better this time, though. A lot better. You just need to work on your mid-range game and defense and you'll be just fine." Piper grumbled something under her breath before heading out of the gym. I set my Gatorade and towel down, grabbed a ball and headed over to the court.

"Hey Perce."

"Hello, Annie. You ready for tomorrow?"

She scowled to herself as she drained a three. "Oh yeah. As if hearing Thalia talk mess all day in our cabin didn't prepare me enough."

I smiled at her comment as I missed a free throw. "Nico and Grover haven't been any better, you know. But I figure the best revenge will be the look on their faces when we beat them." She smirked at me before hitting another three. "I have to agree. I didn't know you were capable of being so smart, Perce. It must be a one-time thing."

"Hey," I yelled as I made an easy lay-up, "I can be smart when I want to be." Annabeth shot me a look, and for the rest of our time in the gym there was a comfortable silence. I had just made ten jumpers in a row when Annabeth grabbed her towel and Gatorade and headed for the door. "I'm about to go to the cabins. Walk me?" It was more of a demand than a question, really, but I was happy to oblige. I snatched Annabeth's Gatorade from her on my way out and stole a quick sip.

"Hey! Give it back!" I smirked at her. "What's wrong, Annie? It's no different than us kissing." She got that planning look in her eyes and I took a step backwards. "Which we've only done once…" she trailed off and took a step towards me. I closed my eyes (strike one), leaned in (strike two), and then we were kissing (strike three). It was like our first one, but less – I don't know- new. The feel of her lips against mine was familiar and foreign all at the same time and I loved it.

She pulled away first, breathless and smirking, and that's when I realized that I didn't have the Gatorade anymore. I mumbled something that was supposed to be "You cheated," but it came out as "Uh duh." Annabeth laughed at me and I glared at her. "You c-cheated! That's not fair!" She stopped laughing almost immediately and turned to face me.

"I will never make things easy or fair for you Percy Jackson. Get used to it." She smirked a little to herself after she said it, as if she was proud of herself for finally using the line. "Well we're here now, so I guess I'll see you later. Have a good night."

I pouted at her. "No goodnight kiss?" I saw her roll her eyes yet smile when she pecked me on the cheek. "Goodnight Percy." I winked at her and turned on my heel, already anxious for tomorrow to come.

Annabeth's POV

I was stretching with Jason and Luke when Percy and Leo walked into the gym. Our semifinal game begins in 30 minutes, and the team we're playing is undefeated just like us. Jason greeted them at the free throw line. "Where have you guys been? We agreed to meet in the gym 30 minutes ago!" Percy grinned sheepishly and Leo groaned. "Mr. Hot Stuff here got himself into some trouble with Thalia and Clarisse, but lucky for them I was there to save his sorry ass. We got a little beat up but we're okay."

Jason sighed and Luke snorted from somewhere to the right of me. "Whatever. Just go get ready to play. This one isn't going to be easy." They sighed and headed to the bench to get ready, and I smiled at Jason and Luke. "You guys ready?" Luke shrugged and Jason grinned at me. "Born ready."

_25 minutes later…_

The game was about to begin when I pulled Percy aside. "Bring you're a-game today, okay? We're gonna need you today." He nodded in understanding. "I got you guys. Don't worry. But don't I get a kiss for luck?"

I rolled my eyes at him before kissing him quickly on the lips. "Yes Percy, now get out there and got to work. We've got games to win today." He nodded again, still looking a little dazed, and I smiled a little too myself. Who knew I had that kind of effect on him?

I tuned back into reality when I heard the whistle blow and saw Jason and the other center jump up.

Let the games begin.

**A/N: Hey guys. So, I know that I said I was considering doing a sequel to this story, but I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. I'm sorry, but I'm really busy and my writing skills and style need a lot of work. Also, this is (maybe) the second to last chapter of this story, but I'll be sure to write an epilogue. On a happier note, I have a not-so-new Lazel one-shot out, and I'm trying to get a Percabeth or Jasper one out soon, so be on the lookout. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and review. **

**P.S.- Do you guys think we could get this story to 100+ reviews? If we could that would be great. **

**P.P.S.- It's 11:50 PM where I live as I'm posting and writing this, so please excuse any spelling and grammar errors. **


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